The Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) stands as a vital coordinating body dedicated to enhancing and ensuring the delivery of Southern Ocean data across nations, organizations, programs, and stakeholders. Established in August 2011 with its International Project Office hosted by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) at the University of Tasmania, SOOS is a joint initiative of the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR). By bridging both Antarctic and oceanographic communities, traditionally separated by geographic and institutional boundaries, SOOS provides essential infrastructure for sustained, integrated, and multidisciplinary observations, helping synthesize diverse datasets to better understand the critical role of the Southern Ocean in the Earth System.
As a partner member of WDS since 2018, SOOS exemplifies the principles of international collaboration, open data stewardship, and advancement of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data. Their recent publication, “SOOSmap: Your gateway to Antarctic data discovery,” highlights innovative approaches to data integration and collaborative management in polar science. Featuring contributions from Chantelle Verhey (WDS-ITO staff) and Johnathan Kool (WDS Scientific Committee), this article showcases how SOOS’s networked systems empower researchers worldwide to access high-quality Antarctic research data, advancing both scientific discovery and global data sharing. Through its ongoing efforts, SOOS continues to build strong partnerships that align closely with the WDS mission of supporting community-defined objectives and enabling transformative research across disciplines.